Reflecting on the value of skin in the game.
Creating a great product requires excellence across multiple facets—GTM strategy, service reliability, payment experience, pricing, and more.
When you’re only responsible for one aspect of the product, it’s easy to shift blame. You might say, “I built the tech, but if the product doesn’t sell, that’s marketing’s fault.”
But when it’s your company and your product, there’s no room for excuses or passing the buck. The goal isn’t just technical achievement; it’s product success.
If the overall user experience fails despite cutting-edge technology, it’s not the time for praise. It’s time to critique and improve the product experience—immediately.
Building a product that survives requires doing whatever it takes. The moment you seek recognition or think “this is good enough,” everything can crumble.
It feels like I’m crossing the threshold from engineer to entrepreneur.